A Mother's Love
by PaigeHalliwellWilderMatthews
Summary: Nina learns the meaning of a mother's lot in life. Not only with Sam but with Delia and Ephram.
1. Two New Members of the Household

**TITLE:**_ A Mother's Love_

**SUMMARY: **_Andy has asked Nina to marry him. Nina and Sam are living at the Brown house; Sam is in Ephraim's old room and Nina is in the guest room. Andy and Nina have decided to wait until they become man and wife before they give into their passion. _

_Delia realizes what it means having a new mom in her every day life. She always considered Nina Feeney as a mother figure ever since she arrived in Ever wood four years ago; but that was different because Nina wasn't living in the same house as her and her father. Delia feels guilty for loving Nina as a mother when her own mother; Julia; is dead._

_This story is a Nina and Delia story as they both come to realize how fragile their real ship is truly. They discover the road is very rocky at best as Delia learns that it's not betraying her mother for loving Nina as a mother also.\_

**RATING: **_K+ for strong language_

**CATEORGORY: **_Drama / Tragedy / Spiritual _

**DISCLAMIER: **_I don't own EVERWOOD. Never claimed too. So you can not sue me because quite frankly I don't even own the apartment that I'm living in right now. All rights for any EVERWOOD character that was on the show goes to Greg _Berlanti_ and his writing team._

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**CHAPTER ONE**

**TWO NEW MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD**

Delia rubbed her eyes as she walked out of her bedroom. She couldn't believe that yesterday she had her Bar Mitaz. It was empowering. Now she was considered a woman in the Jewish community. Too bad her father didn't see that. But she knew that in time he would; in a long time. But Delia wasn't in to much of a rush to grow up and have to leave her father's house.

Delia eyes came alert as she saw that the guest bedroom was open and she blinked her eyes several times trying to believe what was clearly straight smack in her eyes. She stepped closer to the door holding a bated breath. She just couldn't believe that she was seeing Nina Feeney asleep in the bed in her father's guest room. Delia knew Nina should be in LA with Doctor Jake Hartman now. She was one confused thirteen year old young woman.

Delia walked closer to the bed as she watched Nina's chest rise and fall evenly. She took a seat in the chair that was set up against the head of the bed. She watched as Nina slept peacefully on. She didn't know what to make of this. Should she see if Nina was truly here by touching Nina? But if Delia touched Nina and Nina awaken than Nina would just yell at Delia. Delia knew that Nina didn't like to be touched when she was asleep. She had made that mistake when she first stayed over at Nina's house. Delia never told her father that she accidentally freaked Nina out; and she had a feeling that Nina never told her father; otherwise Delia's father would have yelled at Delia for upsetting Nina. But Delia wanted to know if Nina Feeney was truly here in this room.

Delia sighed and stood to her feet. She just had to take the chance that if this was Nina and not just a dream that Nina would forgive her for touching her. Delia walked carefully and gently over to the bed making sure not to make noise. She didn't want to wake Nina up. With bated breath Delia slowly brought her right arm out towards Nina. When she was a mere inch from actually Nina; Delia's hand stopped and shook. Delia just couldn't do it; what if this was just a dream and once she touched Nina than Nina would just disappear. Delia couldn't take that heart break; not again.

Nina slowly opened her eyes and saw Delia's face. She read correctly the fear she saw in the thirteen year old face. "Hey there." She softly said. She saw that Delia was in a daze. Nina slowly sat up allowing her bare shoulder to touch Delia's shaking hands. Nina pulled Delia to her silk sleeveless nightdress quickly. "It's all right darling. I'm here. There's nothing to be afraid of." She whispered as she stroked Delia's hair over and over again.

"Nina." Delia finally let out the sobs that she had kept bottled up inside her. She wrapped her arms more tightly around the woman and clung to her as she finally allowed her tears to come.

Nina just held Delia as the young girl who was turning into a young woman cried she began to rock back and forth and humming the lull bye that she sang to Sam when he was still a baby. She felt Delia calm down after a few minutes.

Delia pulled back finally and just stared red and puffy eyed at the woman whom she had considered as her second mother from the first time she had gone to Nina's house four years ago. She opened her mouth to speak but a loud sneeze came out instead.

Nina laughed gently as she took the box of Kleenex which was on the table next to the bed and poured out a couple of tissue. She gently put the tissue up against Delia's nose. "Blow." After Delia blew her nose; Nina tossed the used Kleenex into the waste basket that was next to the bed. Nina pulled out another tissue and began to gently wipe Delia's checks and underneath the eyes with it. She tossed the tissue into the waste basket.

"Thanks." Delia said with a smile.

"You are welcome." Nina smiled back.

"What are you doing here? I thought you moved to LA with Jake." Delia frowned at the thought. "Are you still going?" She asked fear laced in her voice.

Nina shook her head and smiled. "No Jake and I broke things off at the airport last night. I'm staying in Ever wood. For good." She grimaced. "Not in my house; seeing how I sold my house. Your father …."

"Live here." Delia said excitedly as she bounced a few times in Nina's lap. She saw the pain that Nina was in with the movement. "Sorry."

Nina laughed. "It's quite all right Delia. Actually what I was going to say was that your father has offered your home to Sam and I. So my question is may Sam and I live here?"

"Yes!" Delia yelped as she excitedly through her arms around Nina and held on for dear life as she tightened her hug into a massive bear hug. "Yes, yes, infinitely yes."

Nina laughed as she held onto Delia as the excited thirteen year old girl hugged the day lights out of her.

"Is this a two person hug or can anyone join?" Andy asked as he grinned into the bedroom at the sight of the woman he loved hugging his daughter.

Delia pulled away from Nina and finally hopped off of her lap and landed next to Nina in the bed. "Dad, Nina's staying. She's not leaving Everwood. Isn't that simply wonderful." She grabbed hold of Nina's hand and held onto to tightly but not to tight so she was hurting Nina.

"Yes it's wonderful. Simply wonderful." Andy said. He didn't walk into the room he just stared into Nina's eyes and read the love that was shining through them. Love that was directed at him. Only at him and no one else had Nina's heart and soul. Andy wished it was the same for her. He knew what he had to do and he had to do it that very day. He couldn't wait any longer.

"Andy?" Nina softly said as she watched the man she loved suddenly grow sad.

Andy shook his head. "Nina; I need you to watch Delia for a few days. I need to fly to New York." He stood to his feet and stuffed his hands deep in his pockets. "Is that ok?"

"Of course Andy." Nina nodded her head. She knew why Andy needed to go to New York at a sudden notice.

"Thank you." Andy stepped from the door. "While I'm gone; Delia; I want you to help Nina and Sam move their stuff. I'll call Ephraim and he will be helping with the heavy furniture." He smiled.

Andy moved away from the doorway and went back to his room where he quickly made flight plans for that afternoon. After he quickly packed his traveling bag he walked from his room and found the guest bedroom empty. He smiled as his nose smelt Nina's cooking.

"Looks like we are finally going to have solid decent meals in this house now." Andy said as he walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Nina's waist and kissed her right neck.

Nina leaned back into Andy's chest as she finally allowed herself to express and show her love for Andy Brown. She now no longer had to quickly move away in fear that Andy would read into her feelings and have to let her gently down.

Sam came running into the room and just stared wide eyed up at his mother in Doctor Brown's arms. "What about Jake!" He demanded.

"Jake is gone sweetheart. He went to LA last night." Nina said not moving from Andy's arms. She knew that this was a shocked and an unexpected turn of events for her son; but she wasn't going to hide her love for Andy Brown from herself or Sam ever again. So her son just had to get used to the fact that his mother was in love with a man that he didn't chose.

"But we were at the airport with Jake." Sam said wrapping her arms across his chest and glared up into his mother's eyes. "Won't we?" He suddenly sounded confused.

Nina moved out of Andy's arms as she walked over and knelt down to be eye level with her son. "It just didn't work out Sam. Jake and I came to realize that we don't love each other and that you and I belong in Everwood."

"But Jake didn't say good bye." Sam lowered his eyes to the floor.

"Oh honey. I'm sorry. We thought it would be best not to wake you." Nina wrapped her arms around her son and pulled him to her. "How about we give Jake a call and you and he can say goodbye."

Sam pulled away and screamed. **"IT'S NOT THE SAME! HE JUST LEFT WITHOUT SAYING GOOD BYE TO ME! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT MOM! YOU MADE JAKE LEAVE ME! JUST LIKE DAD!"** He turned and ran from the room and loudly up the stairs.

Nina looked after her son with such stark sadness in her eyes as she heard a door slam shut. She bowed her head.

Delia watched wide eyed as her father walked over to Nina and knelt down and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

"I should have woken him up. Sam should have said good bye to Jake face to face. Jake would have made Sam see that the breakup was best for everyone." Nina said as tears fell from her eyes.

"You can't change time, Nina. Sam will get over it." Andy softly said in Nina's ear as he stroked her hair repeatedly. "It's going to be ok."

Nina pulled back finally and wiped her eyes with the tips of her fingers. "This is the first time that Sam is using his anger to say that something is my fault. I don't know if I can handle it well."

"I don't have to go to New York. I can stay and help Sam understand the new sudden change in his life." Andy said gently wiping the rest of Nina's tears from her eyes.

Nina shook her head. "No Andy. Go. It's going to be ok. Sam's going to be ok; I'm going to be ok." She stood to her feet.

Andy stood to his feet. "Are you sure."

"Sure I'm sure." Nina said as she stepped away from Andy and back over to the island where breakfeast was still being made. She was relieved to see that nothing had burnt.

Andy sighed as he watched the woman he loved make herself over breakfeast just so she didn't have to have him see how upset she truly was. "I can post pone my trip."

Nina looked up into Andy's eyes. "No." She firmly said. She smiled as her blue eyes danced. "That's the end of it Andy Brown. You are going to New York this afternoon and you will not worry about the home front."

"Ok, ok you win." Andy held out his hands as he went to set the breakfeast table. "You know there is an extra room if Hannah wants to live with us." He said as he looked up from setting down the plate at Delia's spot.

"What about Harold and Rose?" Nina asked. "I mean Hannah is set up at the Abbotts."

"I would much rather have Hannah here with us. I mean Hannah's grandmother had given the care of Hannah over to you. I don't think it's fair to her having Hannah over at another family home while you still tend to live here in Everwood." Andy said.

"It would be cool to have another female living here." Delia put in her two cents worth as she helped Nina carry the breakfeast food over to the table. "But I thought Hannah wanted to live with Doctor and Mrs. Abbott?"

"Let me discuss this with Hannah and see where she wants to live." Nina said as she set the large platter in the center of the table. "I mean Hannah has been moved around a lot since she arrived in Ever wood. I mean I don't want to up root her twice in two days if she doesn't want to move again." She walked out into the hallway and stood at the foot of the stairs. "Sam, time for breakfeast."

"I don't want any!" Sam shouted.

"You need to eat." Nina called up.

"No I don't!" Sam shouted.

Nina sighed and turned back to the kitchen. "I'll just make a plate for him. He'll eat when he is ready." She took her seat at the end of the table across from Andy. "Ill call Hannah over later on and tell her that you would like to offer her a place in your home.'

"Actually, it will be more than a place. I was thinking of turning Ephraim's studio into a garage apartment." Andy said as he dished out some breakfeast. "With Ephraim not moving back anytime soon; he said that he wouldn't be using the studio any longer."

"How much rent are you going to charge?" Delia asked before sticking her fork in her mouth.

"None." Andy said. "I know that Hannah is hoping to get into college here; so she wouldn't have to leave her friends behind. I know that even with finical aid Hannah would be strapped for cash. This way Hannah would have a roof over her head; a family to come home too and she won't have to worry about any nosy college dorms to interrupt her studying." He took a swallow of coffee. He looked over at Nina with a raised eye brows. "What do you think Nina?"

"How long have you been planning this?" Nina asked.

"Since Hannah told me that she sent in her application in." Andy said. "This isn't a sudden move Nin. I want to do this for Hannah."

"That's sweet of you Andy." Nina looked at Andy with love shining through her blue eyes.

"I thought it would make your mind rest easier knowing that Hannah was being taken care of in your stead." Andy said wiping his mouth with his napkin.

Nina didn't say anything. How could she say how she truly felt? After hiding her feelings for this man who was sitting across from her for four years; she just couldn't open her mouth and tell him how much she loved him.

Sam walked into the kitchen and took his place next to his mother across from Delia and next to Andy. He spooned some breakfeast onto his plate and turned and glared at Andy. "Aren't you apposed to be gone by now."

"Samuel David Feeney." Nina said shocked at how rude her son was being.

"Actually, I'm leaving for New York this afternoon." Andy said in reply to Sam's un asked glared. "I'll be gone for a few days so you, and your mom can get settled into the house without me being in your face too much. Hannah also."

"I'm glad Hannah will be living with me again. I like Hannah." Sam said taking a bite and turning away from Andy.

"Sam you are being rude to Andy." Nina said.

"Since when is Doctor Brown … Andy." Sam jerked his chin out.

"Since we first met him." Nina said.

"Why did you send Jake away mom." Sam tearfully asked. "I miss Jake. I want Jake."

"I didn't send Jake away honey. Jake and I knew that we just weren't meant to be." Nina said placing her hand on Sam's hand.

Sam jerked his hand away and stood up and shoved his chair back against the wall. The chair banged the wall hard. "**I HATE YOU MOM. YOU SENT JAKE AWAY. JAKE AND I MADE PLANS TOGETHER. IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT. FIRST YOU SENT MY DAD AWAY NOW YOU SENT JAKE AWAY. I HATE YOU." ** Sam ran for the stairs and up them.

A door slammed shut echoing throughout the house.

"Perhaps I shouldn't go." Andy said looking at Nina's stricken face.

"Go. Andy. Have a good time." Nina stood to her feet and walked from the kitchen without another word. She went out the front door and down the steps of the porch.

Delia looked over at her father with wide eyes.

"I'll call Ephraim to come and watch you two. I don't know when Nina will be back." Andy finally said after a few more moments of silence. He stood to his feet and began to clean the table of the breakfeast table. "I wish I didn't have to leave."

"You need to go to New York dad. Every thing will be fine. Sam will be ok after he talks to Jake on the phone." Delia said as she stood and helped her father clear the table away. "Are you going to marry Nina?"

"If she'll have me." Andy said looking down at his daughter who was growing into a woman every single day. He knew soon she would be eye level with him and that sadden him.

"She will. She loves you. She had always loved you. Even when she was married to Carl." Delia's mouth turned down at the last word. She rolled her eyes as she thought of Carl Feeney; Nina's ex husband who in fact was gay.

"Sam will be fine once he knows that his mom is happy finally in her life. He'll settle in once he realizes that you aren't going to leave him and his life won't have another major upheaval in his life." Delia said. "Sam has had some major stuff happening to him in the past four years and it's a lot to take for a little kid to handle all at once. I'm shocked he hasn't acted the way he is towards Nina much sooner."

"Ephraim round two." Andy quipped.

"You know it. But with Sam it's different." Delia said. "You can't yell and scream at him like you have with Ephraim. That's Nina's job. All you can do is tell her that it will get better once Sam is a grown man." She walked from the kitchen.

"Thanks Delia." Andy called after his teen age daughter who had turned into a woman by the Jewish stranded the previous evening.

**END PART ONE**


	2. Heartache for Nina

**Author's Note: **_There will also be major Sam moments in this story. Sam is nine years old and had grown close to Jake so of course Sam will be angry about Jake leaving without saying a proper good bye to him. Also expect drama between Sam and his mother as Sam begins to see his mother as a well a mom._

_Also expect to see Carl to pop up in this story also. Perhaps a little truth on who Carl is for Sam to realize what sort of mom he actually has._

_Also Andy will be the back drop in this story. Don't expect him to have too much one on one time with his emotions._

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**CHAPTER TWO**

**HEARTACHE FOR NINA**

Nina didn't know where she was going when she left Andy's home. All she knew was she had to get out of there. Away from her son. Away from her son who had just said that he hated her. She knew that Sam would be hurt and angry at her for her break up with Jake. But she never dreamt that Sam would say that he hated her. Nina knew that all children had to go through the angry phase and say that they hated their mother's for when things go hay wire in their lives; hell Nina remembered yelling at her mother that she hated her. But she never expected such heart break at the words coming from her own son's lips. She knew she would never forget this moment for as long as she lived.

Nina never forgot the first time when Sam said 'Mean mommy' to her when he was two years old and Nina had to punish him for the first time. Nina had sat outside of Sam's bedroom during his first time out with her knees to her chest and silent tears rolling down her checks. She was alone in the house; Carl was away on one of his 'business' trips so Nina had to come to terms with Sam's hurtful and unthinking words alone.

Nina knew that she had Andy for this first 'I hate you mom' moment that she just had with Sam. But for the moment Nina couldn't lean on Andy for support. She just couldn't explain how hurt she was that her very own son; the son she had carried for nine months and given birth too; thought that he hated her. Nina knew that this was a burden that every mother had to bare. Nina knew that she could go to her other women friends who were mother's and talk this out with them and listen to their advice; but Nina wasn't the short of person who could talk openly about her feelings. She couldn't let her guard down.

Nina blinked at where she had ended up. Outside of the train station that now was Andy's practice with Doctor Harold Abbott. She saw that the office was empty which wasn't surprised seeing how it was Sunday and the office was closed. She shook her head at how even un thinking she ended up outside Andy's place of business. Whenever she needed comfort she always ended up searching for Andy to be with him. Now that she had left him at his house she ended up where he worked. She had to smile through her tears at this. She placed a hand the side where the sign that had his and Doctor Abbott's name on it. She lightly ran her fingers over Andy's name tracing it to memory. She no longer had to feel guilty for doing this. She had always wanted to run her fingers over Andy's upraised letters that read his name. She knew that the town folks thought that she was in LA and madly in love with Jake. But she knew that people who were out and about could see her and knew that she had finally given into her feelings for Andy. So she didn't feel shy or ashamed if word got back to Andy over her behavior.

"What are you doing here Nina? Aren't you opposed to be in LA now?" Amy asked as she stopped in front of Nina. She noticed how dazed and depressed Nina Feeney looked. She didn't miss the fact that Nina was slowly running her fingers over Doctor Brown's name on the plank. She smiled as she realized what this meant. Doctor Brown had finally won Nina's heart. But the smile left her face as she saw Nina's tears began to fall. "Nina."

Nina began to walk away not noticing Amy Abbott; she walked across the street to and down where her restaurant **'SAM'S'** was located. The restaurant that Jake had surprised her with when he had first moved in with Sam and her. The restaurant that she almost sold when she decided by the spur of the moment to move to LA with him. The restaurant that she had always dreamt of owner and now thanks to Jake Hartman she now owned. She owed a lot to Jake. She knew she had hurt Jake by not being truthful with him from the beginning and she knew she would never be able to make it up to him.

Nina walked into the restaurant and sat down in the booth that faced the window that looked out over at the old train station that now was Andy's medical practice. She placed her head on the table which her hands were already placed and finally allowed the sobs to come.

**CONCERN FOR NINA**

Amy opened her cell phone and dialed Ephraim's number. She held the phone to her ear as she waited for her boy friend to answer she kept her eyes clued to the window outside of **'SAM'S'** at Nina who had broken down.

"Hello." Ephraim's low voice said into Amy's ear.

"It's me." Amy softly said as she closed her eyes as she allowed the essence of Ephraim's spirit to enter her body.

"What's wrong?" Ephraim asked as he took a seat on the piano bench at his father's place.

"I just needed to hear your voice is all. I love you Ephraim so much." Amy said as she opened her eyes again and saw that Nina was still in the same place as before. "I need to be with you."

"Come over to my dad's. " Ephraim said. "I need to stay here until Nina gets back from where she went off too this morning."

"Nina's staying with your father? When does she leave for LA?" Amy asked as she leaned back against the old train station.

"Nina and Sam aren't going to LA; she and Jake broke things off last night at the air port. Nina and Sam are going to be living with him and Delia. Dad had to fly to New York for the weekend. He just left." Ephraim said. "Oh and dad said that he wants Hannah to live here also."

"Nina and Jake broke up. Well that explains it than." Amy said not catching up on the last sentence that Ephraim had said.

"What explains what? Where are you?" Ephraim asked confused.

"I'm outside your and mine dad's practice looking into **'SAM'S'** and watching Nina breaking down. Poor Nina she must be heartbroken."

"Yes, Nina is heartbroken but it's not over Jake. It's over Sam." Ephraim said.

"What's going on with Sam?" Amy asked pushing off the wall of the old train station.

"Sam is having a hard time with Jake leaving without a proper good bye to him. He blames Nina. He told no screamed that he hated Nina. This is the first 'I hate you mom' for Nina. Dad said that she is crushed." Ephraim said.

"Poor Nina." Amy murmured. "Why is your Dad flying to New York instead of staying to help Nina through this?"

"Dad said that he didn't have to go today; that he would put the trip off; but he said that Nina firmly told him to go as planned." Ephraim said into the phone. "Come over to my dad's and watch Delia and Sam. I'll go and comfort Nina."

"I was thinking of that exact same thing. I'll be over there in less than ten minutes. I love you Ephriam." Amy said as she opened the drivers side to her car.

"I love you Amy." Ephraim said.

Amy closed her cell phone and tossed it on the passenger seat and started her car.

Amy pulled up next to sidewalk of the Brown home and got out of her car. She walked up the front towards the porch towards Ephraim who was sitting on the porch swing. "Don't get up." She said as she sat down next to her boyfriend. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

Ephraim leaned into the kiss and for some moments just staying in the moment of being totally and completely in love with his soul mate. He forgot everything and everyone. The moment was perfect.

The kiss sadly had to end for the two young lovers. As all kisses have to end.

"So I better get going than." Ephraim stood to his feet and walked down the porch steps. He turned around and smiled up at Amy who hadn't gotten up from the porch swing. "I love you."

"I love you too." Amy said smiled and watched as Ephraim turned around and walked towards his car. She watched as he drove away. She finally stood to her feet and went into the Brown house.

**A MOTHER'S LOT IN LIFE **

"You know they say that a mother's lot in life is no piece of cake." Ephraim softly said as he placed gentle hands on Nina's hands which were still on the table. He watched as Nina slowly lifted her tear strained face to meet his. "Mother's get everything that their children can dish out. Love, compassion, anger, hurt. The list goes on and on."

Nina blinked as Ephraim finally came into focus. "Did your father send you?"

Ephraim shook his head. "No Amy did."

"Amy? How did Amy know I was here?" Nina blinked as she sat back in the booth but not allowing Ephraim's hands to leave her hands.

"Amy tried to talk to you at the old train station. She watched as you made your way here and broke down. She thought you were heartbroken over Jake." Ephraim said. "When she called and told me; I all ready knew what went down with Sam. Dad told me before he took off for New York."

"I'm glad that Andy went. I'm glad that he didn't stay thinking that I needed him too." Nina softly said.

"Dad didn't want to go. He wanted to stay here with you. To help you. To hold you." Ephraim said. "But I told him that he had to go to New York. He had to do what he had to do. That you would live with the regret till your dying day if you were the reason why he didn't go to New York." He sighed. "With a deep frown Dad got in the taxi cab and took off to the air port. He left you a letter. You will find it on your pillow back at the house."

"Tell me about your mother?" Nina asked finally wanting to know Ephraim's true thoughts about his mother.

"What do you want to know?" Ephraim asked. "You all ready know that she was a wonderful and great mom. You all ready know that Dad regrets not spending more time showing her how much he loved her before she tragically died. You all ready know how much Delia and I love and miss her every day."

Nina sat pulled her hands out from underneath Ephraim's. "I'm sorry for asking. It's not my place to know." She softly said. She brought her hands up to her eyes and began to wipe the tears away.

"I treated my mother like she was my best friend." Ephraim said softly he leaned back in the booth as he folded his hands across his chest. "She was my mother, father, friend, protector and comforter all rolled into one. I couldn't believe how amazing lucky I was to have a mother like her. She was everything to me. She had all the time in world just to be with me. No matter how busy she was she always made sure to drop everything when I needed her to be with me."

Nina sat and listened as Ephraim talked about Julia; his mother. She had heard about Julia Brown as wife and daughter but never really a mother. Both Ephraim and Delia never expressed their feelings about their mother expect saying that they missed her and wished she was still around.

"Don't think that I didn't give my mother a hard time. There were plenty times when I was angry at my mother when I didn't get my own way that I told her that I hated her and never wanted to speak or see her again. But my anger never lasted; I would soon regret my anger and words and seek my mother out and ask her forgiveness for my anger and hatred words. She always forgave me and told me that she had done the same to her own mother." Ephraim said as he unfolded his arms and placed his hands on the table once again.

"The one regret I have when I remember my mother was the look of pure disappointment in her eyes when I told my first lie to her. I was two." Ephraim said. "Whenever I even think of telling a lie my mother's eyes haunt me. If I could cause my own mother that much hurt by not being honest than how much hurt can I cause the world? " He smiled sadly. "My mother taught me the greatest of all lessons that day when instead of explaining to me how hurtful lies are; but just _showing_ me what an untruth can do to another human being."

"My greatest memory of my mother was when Delia was born. I knew my mother loved me. But when I saw her after she gave birth to my baby sister and I saw a mother's love shine on her newborn baby; I was simply blown away. I privately wished I could have been born a female so I could have the ultimate pleasure on carrying my child for nine months and giving birth to my child. To feel a mother's love inside me and outpouring on my child." Ephraim said. "Please never tell that secret to anyone; not even my father."

"I won't. I promise." Nina said.

"All I'm trying to tell you Nina is that you are going to go through a rough time with Sam. But the end result is that it's all worth it When Sam grows to be a mature man he will look back and remember you with all the love that he is capable of having." Ephraim said. "The rough goes in hand with the good."

"Thank you Ephraim. I best get back to your dad's; so you and Amy can have the day to yourselves." Nina stood to her feet. "Oh and I need to talk to Hannah."

"About her moving into Dad's." Ephraim said with a nod. He stood to his feet. "I called Hannah and told her that you wanted to talk to her later on this evening. She said that she'll stop by for dinner if that was all right with you."

Nina nodded. She locked the door to the restaurant behind her and Ephraim and followed him to his car. She got into the passenger seat and just stared out of her window as he drove back to the Brown home.

**END PART TWO**


End file.
